Guangzhou then and now: How infrastructure has gradually altered the shape of the city

In a series of articles and photographic series, we're taking a look at how Guangzhou has evolved in the past century. This section details the evolution of public transportation and the emergence of today's municipal districts.

In 1900, the area within Guangzhou’s city wall was about 18 square kilometers. In 2015, Guangzhou encompasses an area of 7,434 square kilometers. And that's just the tip of the iceberg in terms of how much the city has blossomed.

The long and winding road to modern transportation

1904: Canton-Sam Shui Railway completed by American engineers in Guangdong, stretching 52 kilometers

1906: Sunning Railway completed as the second commercial railway in South China

1907: Construction begins on Kowloon-Canton Railway

1915: China’s first diesel engine created in Guangzhou’s Xietonghe Machine Manufacturing Factory

1915: Used cars are imported from Hong Kong and refurbished into Guangzhou's first taxis

1926: Huang Zaihua founds privately run Public Road Bus Company in Taishan

1931: Guangzhou Tianhe Airport officially put into use

1936: Guangdong-Hankou Railway opens, running from Guangzhou to Wuchang

1937: Guangzhou’s first highway network begins to take shape

1952: Guangzhou First Bus Company established by municipal government

1965: Guangdong officials carry out a geological survey and plan for a future metro

1987: Construction begins on Guangshen Expressway

1993: Construction begins on Guangzhou Metro

1997: Guangzhou Metro Line 1 opens from Xilang to Huangsha

Years of district additions to Guangzhou

Guangzhou

•  1950: Yuexiu and Liwan

• 1953: Huangpu

• 1960: Dongshan and Haizhu

• 1985: Tianhe

• 1987: Baiyun

• 2000: Panyu and Huadu

• 2005: Nansha; Dongshan merges into Yuexiu

• 2014: Zengcheng and Conghua

• 2015: Guangzhou is comprised of 11 districts: Liwan, Yuexiu, Haizhu, Tianhe, Baiyun, Huangpu, Panyu, Huadu, Nansha, Conghua and Zengcheng

Note: Dongshan, Haizhu (previously named Henan) and Liwan (previously named Xiguan) emerged much earlier, but were not officially named districts until the years displayed aboved. Also, many districts, such as Huangpu, have been disbanded, altered and relisted numerous times since 1950.

Other articles in this series:

• A photographic comparison of old and new Canton

• Documenting public life in the 1910s and 1920s

• The rise of Dongshan, the city's most affluent district

• Early 20th-century missionary Annie James and her incredible story

• Elderly residents share stories of the past